Meeting the Parents
by Muggle Jane
Summary: Hermione went to Australia to visit her parents to get away from things... Except one of those things insisted on following her. Oneshot, written for the HPFC 'A picture can tell a thousand words' challenge!


**A/N: Written for the HPFC 'A picture can tell a thousand words' challenge. I wanted it to be a nice scene with Hermione and her family and George insisted on showing up.**

Hermione Granger squared her shoulders as she walked down the street. She was a little worse for wear from five floo connections and a port key; international travel was awful. _Still better than an airplane_, she thought to herself.

She set her fluffy armful gently on the ground before her and the large cat fell in step beside her. He hadn't liked all the traveling any more than she, and she sported several unfortunate new claw marks. Together, they continued their journey.

It was hotter in Perth in the fall than it had been in London in the spring, and Hermione was glad she'd dressed in layers as she stripped off her kneazle-fur-covered jumper and looped it loosely over her arm. She carried no luggage, just the small purse with the Undetectable Extension Charm on it.

She paused before turning to go up the drive to her final destination. Another pause before knocking on the door. Crookshanks weaved in and out of her ankles to ease her nerves.

The door opened and Hermione broke into a grin. "Hello, Dad," she greeted and was immediately pulled into a long hug.

"Hermione, dear, it's so good to see you! You look absolutely knackered, come in." He pulled her into the house and Crookshanks trotted along after her before the door shut.

"Is that Hermione?" she heard the familiar voice of her mum float down the stairs before the woman herself made an appearance and Hermione was pulled into a second hug. "Why didn't you let us know you were coming?" her mum asked, holding her out at arms' length after the embrace was finished. The woman now known as Monica Wilkins looked over her daughter critically, noting the tired look on her face.

"I'm sorry," Hermione apologized. "I just needed a bit of a break and there really seemed like no better place than here."

"Would you like some coffee? Tea? I'm sure I could rustle up something for breakfast if you're hungry," Wendell Wilkins, formerly Rupert Granger, offered.

"Tea please," Hermione accepted gratefully.

They passed the morning catching up. Australia had agreed with Hermione's parents and they'd decided to stay, even after she'd restored their memories. They shared a dentistry practice in Perth and the only thing that could make them happier was seeing their daughter more often.

Crookshanks did as he always did when the entire family got together, he curled himself up in Wendell's lap and proceeded to stay there unless forcibly moved.

Hermione's eyes grew heavier and heavier as the hours passed by. She'd left in the morning in England, and that it was now morning passing into afternoon in Australia meant that she'd been awake for entirely too long. She was about to excuse herself for a nap in the guest room when there was another knock at the door.

"You expecting anyone?" Wendell asked his daughter and she shook her head.

"Don't get up," Monica told her husband, gesturing to the half-kneazle in his lap, and rose to her feet to cross to the door. She opened it to see a somewhat familiar red-headed young man, standing in front of her with a bottle of wine and a grin. "Ah, Ron?" she asked. She'd seen him in England, involved in her daughter's rather extraordinary life, of that she was sure.

"George," he corrected her. "Ron's older, better-looking brother." He offered her the bottle of wine. "I'm Hermione's boyfriend."

"Well, come in, then," she ushered him, taking the wine before turning to admit him into the house. Hermione caught sight of him and froze. "You didn't tell us you had a boyfriend," Monica said.

Hermione had no words. All thoughts of being tired were instantly gone. This was the last thing she had expected. She hadn't even told him that she was planning to visit her parents, just Ginny. But then, George was Ginny's second favorite brother, and it shouldn't have been surprising that she'd told him.

She stood up and went to him. "Can you excuse us a minute," she said to her parents before taking his arm and pulling him into the kitchen. "What are you doing here?" she asked, voice barely a whisper, as soon as the door between the rooms shut.

"Came to meet the parents," he whispered with a grin. "After all, you've already met mine."

"But what are you doing _here_?" she repeated with a slightly different inflection. Mortified wasn't the correct word, but it was close. She'd told him something very personal the night before she'd left England and he hadn't really said anything- though, granted, she'd literally run away before he had a chance to- and this whole trip was actually her way of hiding from her embarrassment. And apparently it wasn't working out at all. "And why did you say you're my boyfriend?"

"You never did give me a chance to respond after your grand declaration, so I'm here to do just that."

"This was a long way to come for a prank, George," she hissed at him. "And it's not just-"

He cut her off in the most effective way possible, by ducking his head and closing his lips to hers. When he straightened up again, a gleam in his eye, she was lost for words.

A loud rumbling sound caught her attention. She looked down to see Crookshanks rubbing up against George's denim-clad leg, purring for all he was worth. "See?" he whispered triumphantly, gesturing down to her faithful companion. "Even Crookshanks approves and he's a very good judge of character."

Somewhat mollified, Hermione let George take her hand and lead her back into the room. She saw her parents giving her rather curious looks. "Sorry, that was a little rude. Mum, Dad, this is George. My... boyfriend."


End file.
